How should we understand the hadith "A person will be with those whom he loves"?

- How can we be together in Paradise if the rank of a person we love is higher than us?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Whether a person is at the same rank as or a different rank from the one he loves, they do not have to be in different places. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a hadith:

“A person will be with those whom he loves.” (Bukhari, Adab: 96; Muslim, Birr: 165) 

From this point of view, the following question can come to mind: If a person loves the Prophet (pbuh), how can he be with him? 

Even if a prophet and a madrasah student are in the same place, they will not take the same pleasure even if they are in the same place. Their being in the same place does not necessarily make them have the same pleasure. Therefore, in the hereafter, where material and spiritual boons that fit Paradise will exist, two friends or two spouses will not take the same pleasure even if they are in the same place. There is no drawback to their being together.

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi explains the hadith in question as follows:  

“We shall allude to this elevated truth with a comparison. For example, a magnificent personage set up a vast banquet and finely-adorned spectacle in a splendid garden. He prepared it in such a way that it included all the delicious foods that the sense of taste can experience, and all the fine things that please the sense of sight, and all the wonders that amuse the faculty of imagination, and so on; he included in it everything that would gratify and give pleasure to the external and inner senses."

" Now, there were two friends and they went together to the banquet and sat down at a table in a pavilion. But the sense of taste of one of them was very limited, so he received only minor pleasure. His eyes could see only a little, he had no sense of smell, and he could not understand the wondrous arts nor comprehend the marvels. He could only benefit from and take pleasure in a thousandth or even a millionth of that beautiful place, to the extent of his capacity. The other man however had developed his outer and inner senses, his mind, heart, emotions, and subtle faculties so perfectly and to such a degree that although he was next to his friend, he could perceive and experience all the subtleties and beauties and marvels and fine things in the exhibition, and receive their different pleasures."

"Since this confused, sorrowful, and narrow world is thus, and although the greatest and the least are together, the difference between them is as great as from the ground to the Pleiades, surely in Paradise, the realm of bliss and eternity, while friend is together with friend, each will receive his share from the table of the Most Merciful and Compassionate One in accordance with his capacity and to the extent of his abilities. "

"Even if the Paradises in which they are found are different, it will not be an obstacle to their being together. For although the eight levels of Paradise are one above the other, the roof of all of them is the Sublime Throne. If there are walled circles round a conical mountain, one within the other and one above the other from its foot to the summit, the circles are one over the other and look to one another, but do not prevent each other seeing the sun. There are also various narrations of Hadiths indicating that the Paradises are in a manner close to this.” (see Sözler, Yirmi Sekizinci Söz)

Questions on Islam